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Wednesday, July 8, 2015

This and that

So yesterday's link up was so much fun! I'm working my way through everyone's posts and making notes of new products I want to try.

Today is a random "this and that" collection of talking points :)

Light and Momentary

I have been BLOWN AWAY by support for Ashleigh! BLOWN AWAY! It has been amazing to watch people rally and read the notes of encouragement that people have been leaving her when they purchase a shirt. We're one week in and are at $7000+ raised for research! WOO HOO!!!

Also, Ashleigh has high hopes of raising $100,000 for IBC research by hosting a huge gala, but since she isn't able to attend right now that has been put on the back burner. That said, she is hosting an "online gala" on Facebook...

Ashleigh loves her family, God and dressing up! She had a dream to have a HUGE gala and have all her friends come dressed to the nines and celebrate life. Now her health is so delicate, she is worried she will not be able to attend the event she has planned. So to honor her, her family and the inspiration she has given us in the last 2 years, we wish to salute her. Cheer her. Please, put on your party clothes and lift a glass, a flower, a scripture, to share with our dear friend. For now this virtual event will have to due until pray God, we can attend the gala she has planned.

Last year I started a series called "It's My Party" where my plan was to feature fabulous parties thrown by other bloggers. Well... I dropped the ball on it totally. #ooops

I want to revive the series ASAP and I think that while I'm in Colorado will be the perfect time. If you have a party that you'd like to have featured please do the following...

Please send an email to dave-and-andrea@hotmail.com

Subject: It's My Party - Name of Party (i.e. It's My Party - Red, White and Two Birthday)

In the email please contain a direct link to the post where you shared the details of the party.

I'll be selecting a variety of parties to feature this month as well as in coming months (think Christmas parties, Valentines, etc.)

Perot Museum

Yesterday I posted this picture from our visit to the Perot Museum and got several comments and emails asking about whether we're members, how age appropriate it is, etc. So I thought I'd share the pictures I took and provide a little insight in case you're planning a visit to the museum.

The Perot Museum opened three years ago and we immediately joined. A family membership was a little over $100 which meant that it paid for itself if we visited more than three times.

We've renewed our membership every year and typically visit about once a month (or more in the Summer/Spring Break/Christmas break). I love being a member because there are often days where we can get in early (during members only hours), there's a members parking lot that is super convenient and I feel like we're able to take quick trips and not feel bad about only staying for an hour or two.

There is an AWESOME children's area on the Lower Level that is always our first stop. It's designed for kids 5 and under (and their siblings) and has a ton of great, age-appropriate activities. There's a mini Dallas skyline play area with a slide, rock climbing, tunnels, etc.

One of their favorite parts is donning "construction gear" and hauling bricks up the levels and then sorting them through a chute.

There's an art lab where they sometimes have organized activities and other days just have a BUNCH of supplies out. Yesterday they had lots of art supplies out for the kids to use however they pleased. If there's an organized craft my boys will participate, but if it's just "free play" they're not as interested.

This girl on the other hand is ALWAYS up for some art.

There's a campground area, an awesome water table, farmer's market, baby area and outdoor sand area where kids can dig for dinosaur bones. (all of which I didn't take pictures! But you can check them out on this post, this post or this post.)

The second floor has an animals exhibit (with tons of really cook taxidermy), a human bodies exhibit and an engineering section. The engineering part is BY FAR my boys favorite part.

Luke LOVES to construct sky scrapers and then test them out on the earthquake simulator...

... and Mason loves the exhibit where you draw a design, send it to the "wheel" and then spink it and watch your design appear.

Yesterday we waited for a turn at the Robot Arena which is a VAST improvement over the previous exhibit where you had to build your own robot.

There's an interactive area where they often have fun building games out or science demonstrations. Yesterday the boys got to play with polymers. They added water and watched the powder absorb it and expand (it's the same thing that's inside diapers).

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In the "bodies exhibit" we tried out controlling a robotic arm and played around with a body heat sensor.

The third floor is all about climates, weather, rocks and minerals and mining and energy.

We always have to try out the earthquake machine, touch the tornado and watch an interactive model of the water cycle.

Luke wants to be a geologist and checking out the geodes is always a highlight.

The boys and I took the stairs while Anna Grace took the elevator with Griffin and the stroller and I was CRACKING up because my boys raced ahead and were looking checking out the escalator through this window when I could hear Luke going, "EWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!! They're KISSING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Apparently there was a couple alone on the escalator and my boys were witness to quite the makeout session. hahaha

The views are awesome and we always spend a few minutes checking out the awesome roof as well as the cars on the highway.

Dinosaurs and space are on the Fourth floor and we never fail to marvel at the size of the dinosaurs on display.

The boys like to design a creature to battle a predator and watch it fight :)

The boys and Anna Grace headed up to the avian floor and Griffin and I watched them peeking through the railing :)

We didn't get to the museum until close to 1:00, which is normally when naptime starts, so by 3:30 they were more than done.

She looks really sleepy, right??? :)

Another member benefit is that parking is only $3 and while I was playing, Anna Grace had the kids ;) The museum was pretty quiet when we were getting ready to leave.

Everyone's moods perked up when we headed to the outdoor play area and I told them they could get their feet wet. Luke was going to great lengths to not soak his shorts :) hahaha

IT was cloudy and not super hot and we let them run around outside for a solid 30 minutes.

Anna Grace came with us to the museum and I was soooooooooooo glad!!! I love to let the kids run and explore and all of that and an extra set of hands/eyes makes that much more enjoyable for all of us. It also makes bathroom breaks, snack stops and pretty much everything else easier. I would HIGHLY recommend taking an Anna Grace to the museum with you. ;)

One last stop at the gravel chimes and outdoor music area and then we loaded up to head home.

PLEASE don't hesitate to comment with any questions you have about the museum. If you're making a day trip to Dallas, you should also check out Klyde Warren park (AWESOME playground and great food trucks!). You can walk from the museum to the park in about 10 minutes.

Anthro Sale!

The Anthropologie Tag Sale is still going on and I've picked up several great items over the last couple of weeks. Here a few more picks (you can find some of my other sale finds HERE)

I ordered this henley in the black and white stripe pattern (it's coming in this week), but kind of love this patterned one as well. I sized up (I'm wearing a 4) to get the looser look I love.

This shirt intrigued me when I saw it on the hanger as I'm a sucker for mixed prints. The top is a terry material and the checkered part is longer in the back. It ran a little bit big under the arms, but I wear a cami under most of my tops anyway so it didn't bother me too much. I think it will be really cute with cuffed cords and flats and maybe even leggings and a cardi when it starts to cool down this Fall.

The lace and pretty back on this blouse spoke to me and the feminine colors were the final push I needed :) It's light, airy and super comfortable and I think I'll easily be able to dress it up and down.

Last, these wedges arrived last night and I immediately put them on. They are RIDICULOUSLY comfortable!!! If you remember the callisto wedges that everyone and their mom bought a couple of years ago (Sheaffer introduced us all to them), the foot bed on these is really similar. Cushiony and comfy!

It was dark when I tried these on AND I am a horrible shoe photographer, but I was too excited not to share. The wedge looks really high, but the cushion makes them easy to walk in. I have plans to wear them tomorrow and I'll keep you updated on how comfortable they are after a morning of errands. And for reference, I typically wear a 6.5 or 7 and ordered these in a 7.

That museum looks AMAZING! We have a great museum center where I live and when my kiddos were little we always had a membership. Like you, I liked that we could just go for a few hours and not feel like we had to spend the entire day. So much fun!

So much fun packed into one post. Jake and I are going to take a mini trip with our four year old in the fall and we can't decide where to go. I don't want to travel far for only a couple of days. I think I have narrowed it down to Dallas or Kansas City. That museum has me leaning towards Dallas - Jack would love it.

I've been looking into some ideas for my 3 year old to do this summer and the museum looks like a good idea. He would love all that stuff, especially the dinosaurs. I'll have to check it out to see if it's worth the membership cost. Thanks for sharing those pics and details. And I just sent you an email with party links. Parties are my favorite! And I really need an Anna Grace in my life :)